whitnev



March 24,1925. R 16,029

L. L. WHITNEY FULCRUM AND Msruon OF MAKING sue Original Filed June 1922 Reissued Mar. 24, 1925.

Re. 16,029 PATENT OFFICE.

LOREN L. WHITNEY, F HAMMOND, INDIANA. ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN STEEL FOUND- BIES, OF CHICAGO, IELLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FULCR-UM AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME.

Original No. 1,521,410, dated December 30, 1924, Serial No. 565,998, filed June 5, 1922.

Application for reissue filed February 9, 1925. Serial No; 7,999.

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I,LonnN L. lVHrrNnY,

a citizen. of the United States, residing at Hammond, in the county of Lake and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Fulcrum and Method of hfaking Same, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a brake beam fulcrum and a method of making same.

One object of the invention is to provide a simple, durable and eflicient forged fulerum requiring a minimum amount of metal and has its parts arranged and cooperating in a manner to meetvthe various requirements for successful use under service conditions.

Another object is to provide a simple and improved method of making such fulcrums.

These'and other objects are accomplished by means of the arrangement disclosed on the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which I Figure 1 is a plan'view of a blank from which the fulcrum is made Figure 2 is a plan view of the same blank with the ends thereof sheared at an angle 1 to the proper width so that the fulcrum will fit between the flanges of the associated compressi'on member of a brake beam;

Figure 3 is a top plan view, and Figure 4 is an end view of the blank after it is bent intermediate its ends and its extremities bent outwardly to form feet which may be secured to the compression member of a brake beam;

Figures 5 and 6 are top plan and end elevational views respectively, of the same fulcrum member after the main body parthas been twisted at an angle with respect to the feet;

Figures 7 and 8 are top plan and end views respectively, of the fulcrum after the bent portion is cut and the cut portions bent upwardly to form tension 'rod guides and Figures 9 and 10 are top plan and end views respectively, of the cbmpleted fulcrum.

The various novel features of the inven tion will be apparentfrom the following description and drawings, and will be at"- ticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the figures of the drawings, it will be noted that a metal blank 15, such as a bar of steel, is provided. The ends of the blank are sheared to the proper Wldlll to form foot portions 16 to be received be tween the flanges of a brake beam compres sion -member. Preferably, the blank is then heated and bent intermediate its ends to form a loop 17 with legs 18 between which a brake lever may, be received. During this operation the feet 16 are bent Outwardly at right angles to the legs 18 to provide attaching means to the compression member of a brake beam. The legs 18 are then turned or twisted at an angle with respect to the feet .16 to permit the use of a brake lever arranged at an angle from the vertical, which angle is usually about forty degrees. The metal at loop is then sheared in lines intersecting the planes of the legs 18 or alongparallel lines-19 which also run parallel to the length of the feet 16 and the sheared portions bent or struck up to form" guides 20 for a brake beam tensionmember. The tension rod end ofthe fulcrum is then drawn to the proper contour to fit the radius of the tension rod at that point, the curvature being shown along the line 21 in Figure 9, The guides 20 are also shaped in this operation, the tops of said guides appearing diagonal in shape in F igure 10 and the tension rod seat or saddle'extending in the same direction as the feet 16 in Figure 10.

By means of this method it is unnecessary to upset any of the metal, and theparts of the fulcrum may be quickly shaped in a simple and eflicient manner, resulting in a brake beam fulcrum adapted to meet the various requirements under service conditions. I

It is my intention to cover all modifications of the invention falling within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A method of making a forged fulcrum consisting first in providing a blank, then bending same intermediate its ends to form legs between which a brake lever may be received, and then cutting the blank at its bend and striking up the cut portions to form tension rod guides.

2. A method ofmaking a forged fulcrum consisting first in providing a blank, then bending same intermediate its ends, and then striking up portions of the blank along cut lines at its bend to form tension rod guides.

3. A method of making a forged fulcrum consisting first in providing a blank, then bending same intermediate its 'ends to form legs between which a brake beam lever may be received, then twisting one part of the blank with respect to the other, then shearing the metal at the bent end in lines intersecting the planes of said legs, and then striking up said out portions to form tension rod guides.

4. A method of making aforged fulcrum consisting first in providing a blank, then bending same intermediate its ends to form legs between which a brake beam lever may be received, then twisting one part of the blank with respect to the other, then shearingthe metal at the bent end in lines intersecting the planes of said legs, then striking up said out portions to form tension rod guides, and then drawing the bent end of the fulcrum to form a curved seat for the tension rod.

5. A forged fulcrum comprising a loop member being cut at the loop along lines intersecting the planes of the legs of the loop and to form tension rod guides.

6. A forged. fulcrum comprising a loop member being cut and turned up at the loop to form tension member guides.

Signed at Hammond, Indiana, this 4th day of February, 1925.

LOREN L. WHITNEY. 

